But a significant loss of coolant in a relatively short period of time usually signals a leak, a radiator cap that is not holding pressure or a cooling system that is running too hot.
Visually inspect the radiator, water pump, hoses, freeze plugs, etc. A tight system should hold the maximum rated pressure for at least two minutes with no drop in the gauge reading. If you do not see any visible leaks and the system holds pressure, make sure the cap is good and has the correct pressure rating for the application somebody may have replaced it with the wrong cap.
Still cannot find where the coolant is going? Check the automatic transmission dipstick. If the system does not hold pressure, you have found an internal leak. Now you have to figure out where. Check the level and appearance of the oil on the dipstick for coolant contamination in the crankcase.
Coolant leaking into a combustion chamber past the head gasket or through a crack in the cylinder head will often foul the spark plug and contaminate the oxygen sensor.
The silicate corrosion inhibitors in conventional antifreeze will poison the O2 sensor, so plan on replacing the sensor s if this has happened.
If no leaks are found, the loss of coolant may be due to long-term neglect or a temporary episode of overheating. Has your engine overheated recently? A defective cooling fan, slipping drive belt, exhaust restriction plugged converter or even overloading the engine may have caused the system to get too hot and boil over.
Check The Strength Checking the strength of the coolant to determine the concentration of antifreeze in the coolant is just as important for hot weather driving as it is for cold weather.
Increasing the concentration of antifreeze in the coolant will raise its boiling temperature and lower its freezing point. Something else to keep in mind is that EG and PG antifreezes have slightly different specific gravities densities , so be sure you use the correct type of hydrometer, refractometer or test strip when checking the coolant. Check The Condition You cannot judge the condition of the coolant by appearances alone.
It may look like new, but if the chemistry is not right the coolant can be a potential time bomb just waiting to cause problems. Time and heat eventually deplete the protective additives, leaving the system vulnerable to internal corrosion. Ethylene glycol never wears out, but the additives do so that is why the coolant needs to be changed or recycled after so many miles.
Keeping the coolant up to snuff is especially important for vehicles with bimetal engines iron block and aluminum heads and those with aluminum radiators because aluminum corrodes more quickly than iron when the coolant chemistry turns sour. The old rule of changing the coolant every two years or 30, miles is still valid for "conventional" green and yellow coolants.
But the same also applies to systems filled with long-life coolant that may have been contaminated with conventional coolant. An ideal coolant is of high thermal capacity, non-toxic, avoid corrosion, low in viscosity, and density.
For countries with cold temperatures, Coolants are available with anti-freezing properties that avoid the Coolant itself getting freeze due to -0 C temperatures.
These properties make sure the vehicle engine runs at its full capacity along with other engine cooling equipment. In the end, it is up to the user to either spend a small amount on buying a suitable coolant and keeping an eye on the level on a scheduled basis with a lousy quality coolant and carelessly avoiding checking the level which would result in spending a big amount of money to get the engine repaired. Hi There, I am R.
Hasan Tito, a mechanic, and owner of this website. My friend and I created this website to share our knowledge, expertise, and experience with our fellow mechanics' community and car users.
I have been working as a mechanic for over fifteen years. Is your baby ride struggling to send in warm air on those cold mornings or in winter seasons? It could be clogged heater core symptoms. The heater core function is to send warm air into the Running out of gas is a common experience for some car owners, hence the need to keep some gasoline in reserve. Imagine running out of gas in the middle of a journey? It will be a frustrating and Skip to content As much as a car requires fuel and engine oil to run, the importance of a car coolant cannot be ignored.
Read Also: Car overheats when AC is on and idle [ Symptoms and Solutions] Possible cause of coolant loss Coolant leak causes engine overheating resulting in engine failure and ultimately costing a hefty amount of car repairs. Head Gasket The most severe damage to a car engine is due to the head gasket blown up. Radiator Leakage Aluminum Radiator is a lightweight but practical component in managing the hot and cold coolant temperatures and maintaining the overall pressure across the engine compartment.
Cooling System Damage Other than the Coolant itself, the engine has other components that are responsible for maintaining the engine temperatures. The car's cooling system keeps the engine from overheating by transferring air to the heat. The cooling system also allows the engine to warm up as quickly as possible to minimize the damage cold can do to the engine's components. In the summer antifreeze keeps the car's engine from overheating.
Dmitrijs Linnemeier Pundit. Can you mix ethylene glycol and propylene glycol? Propylene glycol can be mixed with ethylene glycol without causing harm to the cooling system, but it does slightly weaken the heat transfer. Xinrong Krichbaum Pundit. How often should you change antifreeze? A typical mechanic will recommend changing coolant every 30, miles.
But many will tell you , changing the coolant is not even on their radar. Cain Gieseking Pundit. Why is my antifreeze disappearing?
Coolant leaks can also happen inside your car. If you have ever found your vehicle missing coolant with no visible leak on the ground or on or around your cooling system, the problem could be a worn out radiator cap, which allows coolant to actually escape while you're driving. Renda Guzman Pundit. How long is coolant supposed to last? When the word coolant is used in can mean a couple of things.
Coolant made up of antifreeze and water out of your household tap, solution, would last for around 3 years. Coolant made up of antifreeze and distilled de-ionised water, solution, should last for around 5 years. Zabulon Gompers Pundit. What is the container that holds antifreeze called? The coolant reservoir is a container that holds the excess or overflowing cooling agent which is used in the system. It is usually a clear plastic bottle located near the radiator.
You can easily find it by following the pipe of the radiator, which will be visible when you open the hood. Beside this, Does coolant evaporate? Also Read Do fertility pills really work? Also Read Does a Brita filter purify water? Share this: Twitter Facebook. Why is Impossible Burger bad? Please enter your answer! Please enter your name here.
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